South African authorities are examining how 153 Palestinian refugees arrived at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg without proper documentation or advance coordination with government agencies. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that intelligence services and the Department of Home Affairs are investigating the chartered flight that originated from Ramon Airport in Israel and stopped in Kenya before reaching South Africa, where passengers were eventually granted 90-day visa exemptions after waiting more than 10 hours.
The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa stated that an unregistered organization exploited vulnerable Gaza residents by collecting fees and arranging irregular travel without official approval. Humanitarian leader Imtiaz Sooliman suggested the operation represents coordinated displacement efforts, noting this was the second such flight. One passenger told reporters the journey involved security clearances from Israeli authorities and cost between $1,400 and $2,000 per person, with families departing through the Karem Abu Salem crossing without receiving departure stamps.
Israeli military body Cogat acknowledged facilitating the departures after receiving approval from an unnamed third country to accept the refugees.
The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa stated that an unregistered organization exploited vulnerable Gaza residents by collecting fees and arranging irregular travel without official approval. Humanitarian leader Imtiaz Sooliman suggested the operation represents coordinated displacement efforts, noting this was the second such flight. One passenger told reporters the journey involved security clearances from Israeli authorities and cost between $1,400 and $2,000 per person, with families departing through the Karem Abu Salem crossing without receiving departure stamps.
Israeli military body Cogat acknowledged facilitating the departures after receiving approval from an unnamed third country to accept the refugees.
